Seattle to Hamburg shipping route.

Ships leaving Seattle for Hamburg head north east and cover a sea distance of 9,295 nautical miles (17,215 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 7,903 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 27.7 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 32.3 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 21.5. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Seattle and Hamburg to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 14,757 nautical miles, 5,462 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

2,023 nm of the route, 22% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA and North Sea ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.

Container freight rates on Seattle to Hamburg move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Hamburg (DEHAM) carriers give about 3.83 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 64 port to port routes from Seattle in this directory, Hamburg is the 46th shortest. Closer destinations include Bremerhaven (9,249 nm), Barcelona (9,102 nm) and Rotterdam (9,042 nm).